Augustine Mahiga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Augustine Mahiga
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| 5th Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs | |
| In office 3 March 2019 – 1 May 2020 |
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| President | John Magufuli |
| Preceded by | Palamagamba Kabudi |
| Succeeded by | Mwigulu Nchemba |
| 14th Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 12 December 2015 – 3 March 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Bernard Membe |
| Succeeded by | Palamagamba John Aidan Mwaluko Kabudi |
| United Nations Special Envoy for Somalia | |
| In office 9 June 2010 – 3 June 2013 |
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| Appointed by | Ban Ki-moon |
| Preceded by | Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah |
| Succeeded by | Nicholas Kay |
| Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations | |
| In office 2003–2010 |
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| Preceded by | Daudi Mwakawago |
| Succeeded by | Ombeni Sefue |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 August 1945 Tosamaganga, Iringa, Tanganyika |
| Died | 1 May 2020 (aged 74) Dodoma, Tanzania |
| Nationality | Tanzanian |
| Political party | CCM |
| Alma mater | UDSM (BA) UToronto (MA), (PhD) |
Augustine Philip Mahiga (born August 28, 1945 – died May 1, 2020) was an important Tanzanian diplomat and government official. He served as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in 2019 and 2020. Before that, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2015 to 2019.
Mahiga also represented Tanzania at the United Nations from 2003 to 2010. He was also a special representative for the UN in Somalia from 2010 to 2013. In December 2015, President John Magufuli chose him to be a Member of Parliament and then appointed him as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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Early Life and Education
Augustine Mahiga was born in Tosamaganga, Iringa, on August 28, 1945. He went to primary and secondary schools in Tosamaganga.
He studied at the University of East Africa in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971. In the same year, he earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Toronto in Canada. He continued his studies there and received a PhD in International Relations in 1975.
Personal Life
Augustine Mahiga was married and had three children.
Career Highlights
Representing Tanzania at the UN
From 2003 to 2010, Mahiga was the Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations. This means he was Tanzania's top diplomat at the UN.
UN Special Representative for Somalia
Between 2010 and 2013, Mahiga worked as the United Nations Special Representative for Somalia. He was chosen for this important role by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. His job was to help bring peace and stability to Somalia.
The Kampala Accord
In June 2011, Mahiga helped create an agreement in Kampala, Uganda. This agreement was signed by Somalia's President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and the Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden. They agreed to postpone presidential elections for one year. They also agreed that the Prime Minister of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, would resign.
Many people in Somalia were unhappy about this agreement. Thousands of civilians and soldiers protested in Mogadishu and other cities. They wanted the Prime Minister to stay because they felt he was doing a good job. Some protestors even burned posters of Mahiga, asking the UN to remove him.
Prime Minister Mohamed said he would only resign if the Parliament voted for it. However, he eventually resigned in June 2011, saying it was "in the interest of the Somali people." After his resignation, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali became the new Prime Minister.
Many lawmakers and citizens were worried that the agreement would lead to more corruption and instability. They also felt it allowed other countries to interfere too much in Somalia's affairs. Despite the protests, President Sharif Ahmed stated that the agreement would be brought to Parliament for discussion and would only be implemented if approved by lawmakers.
End of UN Term and Later Roles
Mahiga's time as the UN Special Representative for Somalia ended in June 2013. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon praised him for helping Somalia move towards a permanent government. Nicholas Kay, a diplomat from the UK, took over his role.
After his UN work, Mahiga joined the Chama Cha Mapinduzi political party in Tanzania. He tried to become president in 2015 but lost to John Magufuli.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahiga spoke about important global issues. He talked about climate change, calling it a "challenge to the planet." He also discussed the threat of terrorism in Africa. He supported the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and spoke against North Korea's nuclear tests.
In 2019, he became the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. In this role, he made a decision that stopped individuals and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from directly taking cases against Tanzania to the African Court on Human and People's Rights. Groups like Amnesty International criticized this decision, saying it would make it harder for people to get justice.
Death
Augustine Mahiga passed away on May 1, 2020, in Dodoma, Tanzania, after a short illness. It is believed he died from COVID-19.
See also
- List of foreign ministers in 2017
